Moranbah
| Moranbah Queensland | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
  Moranbah | |||||||
| Coordinates | 22°00′S 148°03′E / 22.000°S 148.050°ECoordinates: 22°00′S 148°03′E / 22.000°S 148.050°E | ||||||
| Population | 8,965 (2011 census)[1] | ||||||
| Established | 1969 | ||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4744 | ||||||
| Elevation | 249 m (817 ft) | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
| LGA(s) | Isaac Regional Council | ||||||
| State electorate(s) | Dalrymple | ||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Capricornia | ||||||
| |||||||
Moranbah is a town and locality in the Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia, located on the Peak Downs Highway between Mackay and Clermont.[2][3] It is a coal mining town and at the 2011 census had a population of 8,965.[1] In addition to the permanent population, Moranbah also has a large itinerant population in excess of 1500.[4] Moranbah services the Peak Downs Mine, Goonyella Riverside Mine, Broadmeadow Mine, Moranbah North coal mine, North Goonyella coal mine and several other smaller mines in the region. Although one of the newest towns in the region, its central location and large population has made it the seat of the Isaac Regional Council.[5][6]
History
The first European to explore the region was Ludwig Leichhardt in January 1845 and settled by pastoralists in the 1850s.[7]
Moranbah was established in 1969.[7] The town was rapidly expanded in the late 1970s by the Utah Development Company to house mine workers. The town has been featured twice (once in 1977 and again in 2012) on Four Corners, an investigative news program, exploring the effects of Australia's various mining booms on local rural communities.[8]
Moranbah Post Office opened on 1 March 1971.[9]
Recreation
Moranbah is a growing community. For a small regional town it offers a diverse range of sports and entertainment facilities including a skate park, library, public swimming pool, rugby league, AFL, hockey, tennis, off road racing, motocross and a BMX club.
Peak Range National Park is located to the west of the town.[7]
Notable people
Notable people from the town include singer Clint Boge and professional Rugby League players such as Josh Hannay, Clinton Schifcofske, Travis Norton and Shane Marteene. As well as Olympic Gymnast Larrissa Miller .
At the end of Archer Drive, the Moranbah sports fields are situated, where many sports were played during the early 1980s. A famous soccer coach in this period of Dutch heritage Jack Koch coached many from Under 6 to the teenage divisions. Jack Koch and his family left Moranbah due to his failing health. Local residents created the "Jack Koch Soccer Carnival" to acknowledge the hard work in the development of soccer within Moranbah.
Cost of living
In 2011, the Queensland Government's Office of Economic and Statistical Research reported Moranbah as the most expensive place to live in the state of Queensland. The study compared the cost of goods and services such as rent, electricity and household fuels in regional areas, to those in Brisbane and found Moranbah in first place with a housing index at 65 per cent above that of Brisbane.[10]
Churches
- Assembly of God ("Oasis Life")
- Uniting Church
- Catholic Church
- Anglican Church
- Christian Fellowship Church
Airport
Sports
- Australian rules football - Moranbah Bulldogs. Established in 1976, the Senior Club boasts 5 Premierships. In 1977, 1978 and 2014 in the Mackay AFL, and in 1985 and 1986 in the now defunct Central Highlands AFL. The Bulldogs currently participate in the AFL Mackay competition in a 7 club competition and are the most recent Premiers.
References
- 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Moranbah". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ↑ "Moranbah - town (entry 22774)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ↑ "Moranbah - locality (entry 49384)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ↑ Petkova-Timmer, Vanessa; et al. "The development of Moranbah - Stakeholder analysis" (PDF). Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ↑ "About Council - Isaac Regional Council". www.isaac.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2015-12-28.
- ↑ "Moranbah - Isaac Regional Council". www.isaac.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2015-12-28.
- 1 2 3 "Moranbah". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ↑ "Boom times pushing regional towns to the limit". ABC. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- ↑ (27 May 2011). Study counts higher living costs in regional Qld. ABC Capricornia. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 June 2014.